Who'll Stop the Rain
by TinkBuck
Summary: Jack and Kate stumble across two young girls in the jungle. Please R&R.
1. Wind of the Jungle

**Chapter One - Wind of the Jungle**

Kate lazily placed her bag on the ground, squatting down to pick up some yellow fruits from the ground. She examined every single one closely before carefully placing them in the bag.

She knew Jack was watching her, she had seen him in the corner of her eye a few minutes ago. There was a feeling of safety running through her body when Jack was around. She didn't want to let him know she had seen him, incase it would lead to him making his presence known and then heading back to whatever place he might be needed.

Kate lifted her bag back on her shoulder and walked a few steps down the path, stopped again and picked up a couple more yellow fruits.

Jack had a feeling Kate had already seen him, now he started to feel stupid just standing around in the bushes like some creep. He wished she would say something or in some way let him know that she knew he was there.

Taking a step forward he stepped on a branch making it snap loudly. He knew there was no way she hadn't heard that and glanced up at the brunette who stood perfectly still just a few feet away from him.

Kate had indeed heard him, but hadn't even turned her head in his direction since she already knew what the source of the sound was. She bit her lip to suppress a giggle but it didn't work, Jack had already heard her.

"_You knew I was here all along didn't you?"_ Jack asked suspiciously, stepping out from behind the bushes.

Kate turned around and faced him with a smile on her face, nodding.

"_You could have said something, you know" _Jack said, sounding a bit unimpressed.

"_What fun would that have been?"_ Kate said, grinning at him.

Jack gave her a shy smile_. "Are you heading back to beach? It looks like it's going to rain any second."_

Kate tilted her head upwards and signed. He was right. It would probably start raining long before they even had a chance to get back to the beach.

Giving Jack a small nod, Kate started walking a few steps a head of him.

They didn't get far until Kate suddenly froze, making Jack almost bump into her back.

"_Did you hear that?"_ She asked alertly, scanning the area around her with her eyes.

Jack looked around curiously, he hadn't actually heard anything, but if Kate said she heard something, there was most definitely something lurking around the bushes.

It didn't take long until another noise was heard. This time Jack had heard it too. It wasn't like the common noises they heard in the jungle all the time. It definitely sounded different. Not a chance that it was the wind or something that walked on branches or leaves. It sounded more like whispers, but Jack had a feeling that whispers were not what he had just heard.

He turned around and faced Kate, trying to read her expression. She looked unusually worried. Normally it took a lot to get Kate anywhere near 'scared' but right now her eyes told him that she was terrified.

It felt like the jungle was closing in on them, like the surroundings were literally coming closer. Kate felt trapped, and for her, that was the most torturing feeling in the world. Unsure about what direction she should run in, she could just stand still and wait.

Jack was waiting too. Waiting for whatever they had heard to make its presence known again, revealing its whereabouts and there for in what directions he and Kate should take off.

Kate could feel Jack's fingers intertwining with her own. She at once felt safer, feeling the warmth from Jack's hand in her own. She knew it was just a safety procedure, in case they needed to start running, wanting to be sure they took off in the same direction.

They both turned around rapidly as they heard a rustling sound from a thicket behind them. Kate felt like she was choking, her eyes rapidly scanned the jungle in front of her. Kate tugged on Jack's hand, as if asking why they where still standing there and not running in the opposite direction.

"_I think it's a kid"_ Jack suddenly divulged quietly, letting go of her hand.

"_What?"_ Kate asked unfocused. She was looking down at their hands that were no longer connecting their bodies with one another. She suddenly felt alone, like Jack had just left her in the middle of the jungle by herself. She told herself to get a grip, he was after all still standing right there next to her, she tilted her head back up and looked at him.

Jack spun around and looked in the opposite direction. _"I think it's just a kid"_ Jack repeated, staring directly at a spot a bit into the jungle.

Kate looked at him confused. A kid? How could he tell that it was a kid? Had he seen what she had just heard? Why would even a kid be out here? They questions were spinning in her head, all left unanswered.

Suddenly Jack took off, running fast down the path.

"_Jack!"_ Kate exclaimed surprised. She started to run after him but stopped after just a few steps, watching him disappeared behind the trees, leaving her all alone.


	2. Tracing Darkness

**Chapter Two – Tracing Shadows**

Jack caught up with what indeed was a child, a young girl, probably around the age of 5, with almost black hair and hazel eyes. Despite her short legs the girl had kept Jack on a pretty good distance until he had finally caught up with her. She had run straight into what looked like an alley, cut off by a mountain wall. Jack had cornered her, trying to block the way out.

"_It's okay..."_ He said reassuringly, trying to calm the girl down. He reached out to her with one of his hands, gesturing for her to take it.

The girl looked terrified and tried unsuccessfully to run past the doctor. Jack grabbed her and tried to hold her still, as she desperately struggled to get free. _"It's alright, I won't hurt you."_ He said calmly.

Kicking and hitting frantically, the girl almost managed to get out of Jack's strong arms. Jack slowly got down and sat flat on the ground, still holding a firm grip around the child.

In the meantime Kate had stayed on the spot where Jack had felt her, all alone. Something had held her back from running after Jack when he had taken off chasing the invisible intruder.

She really did feel like Jack had just abandoned her. That might have been the reason she hadn't followed him. Like a punishment for both of them. To Jack for letting go of her hand, leaving her all alone and to herself for letting her guard down when it came to Jack. She felt pathetic, it wasn't like her at all to be this depending on someone else.

She snapped out of her thoughts as she heard another unidentified sound from the bushes, just a few feet away. Kate held her breath and listen carefully.

It sounded almost like quiet sobbing.

Kate took a few steps closer to what she thought was the source of the sound. She kneeled down and pushed a few branches to the side. Sitting in a curled up ball was a little girl, covered in mud. She had brown curly hair just like Kate, her face was pale and she looked really skinny, like she hadn't eaten properly for quite some time. Kate couldn't determine the little girl's age, but she could not be older than 2.

"_Hey"_ Kate reached out for the girl, who instantly moved backwards further in to the thicket.

Kate had a problem gripping her mind around the situation she was in. There was a toddler curled up in front of her, in the middle of the jungle. How could such a small child survive out here? She asked herself.

The little girl was obviously frightened, who could blame her. Just a few minutes ago Kate herself had been terrified, even if she would never admit that out loud.

"_It's okay, don't be scared."_ Kate tried again, once more reaching for the child.

Kate could feel the girl tense up as her arms wrapped around her smaller body. The toddler pulled back at first but didn't fight her off. Drawing the girl closer to her, Kate managed to balance the girl on her left hip as she stood back up.

Getting out for the bushes Kate took in the appearance of the little girl properly for the first time. She was indeed completely covered in mud. It looked like she had literally taken a mud bath. She was wearing a white dress with an adorable white jacket, or Kate at least guessed hat they had been white at some point. They somehow looked fancy even though they were all dirty. Glancing down, she noticed that the girl was barefoot, her small feet covered in small cuts. She lifted her head up and met the toddlers face. Kate was surprised to find a pair of hazel colored eyes studying her closely. She didn't look particularly afraid anymore, just curious.

"_Hi" _Kate said softly, looking directly at the little girl.

The child didn't respond other than letting her eyes travel over Kate's face.

"_What's your name?"_ Kate asked gently, still balancing the toddler on her hip. When the girl didn't answer, Kate gestured with her hand to herself and than to the child. _"My name is Kate. What's your name?"_

Kate felt a bit uncomfortable. So the girl was young and probably both shy and scared, but it would have been nice if she said something or at least letting her know that she understood what she was saying. Maybe she didn't speak English, Kate told herself logically.

Taking a deep breath, Kate started to walk slowly, still carrying the toddler, down the path where Jack had disappeared moments earlier.

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Let me know if you like it... 


	3. Recognize the Raindrops

Changing the rating to T just in case ;)

Here is a new chapter..

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Chapter Three – Recognize the Raindrops**

Jack was still sitting down on the ground, holding the young girl firmly in his arms. She had calmed down slightly but was still trying to break free from the embrace that was keeping her restrained.

"_Let me go."_ The girl whimpered, as her body went limp in his arms, all energy drown out.

"_Shh, it's okay. You're safe."_ Jack whispered soothingly, still holding her tight.

"_Don't take us back, please don't make us go back there"_ She had started crying, now clinging closer to Jack's body.

Jack tilted his head up and saw Kate approach them, carrying a little girl dressed in a dirty dress. The girl had her arms firmly around Kate's neck and rested her small head on her shoulder.

Kate was surprised to find Jack sitting on the ground hugging a dark haired young girl. She had thought she would find him and be the one to tell him all about the surprising discovery she had made.

Glancing down, Kate eyed the girl on the ground. She was at least a couple of years older than the small child she was carrying. Her hair was darker but they still looked very similar. Just as the younger girl, she was wearing a white dress with a matching jacket.

Jack eased his hold on the girl and slowly stood up. The dark haired girl immediately pulled herself up to her feet when the restraining arms disappeared from around her.

"_Maya!"_ The five year old exclaimed, turning towards Kate, but she stayed frozen on the spot next to Jack.

"_Please let her go"_ the girl begged. Kate couldn't tell if she had directed the pleading to her or Jack. Logically it should have been to her since she was the one holding the child, but the girl had turned to the man.

Kate and Jack exchange a look, both looking rather confused by the whole situation. Jack kneeled down to the older girl's level.

"_What's your name?"_ He asked gently but direct.

The girl didn't meet his eyes but was instead surprisingly interested in her white cloth shoes. _"Lucy Walker"_ She answered shakily, glancing up carefully at Jack.

"_Please don't hurt her"_ Lucy begged sobbingly, turning to Kate and Maya.

"_We're not going to hurt either one of you" _Jack reassured.

Tears started running down Lucy's pale face. She looked exhausted, like she hadn't slept for a very long time. Just as Jack was about to take her arm, the girl fell to her knees. She started to gasp for air between her sobs, almost like she was having a panic attack. Unsure what to do, Jack looked up at Kate who had walked closer and gave her a distressed look.

Kate came even closer and gestured for Jack to get up. Jack could see that the older girl obviously cared about the toddler. Feeling pretty sure the girl would try to take off without her, he took a couple of steps back and gave the girls some space.

Kate kneeled down next to Lucy, who was now sitting with her head buried in her small hands. She placed Maya on the ground in front of her, steadying the little girl with her hands casually around her small waist.

Lucy glanced up, first at Maya then further up at Kate.

Kate gave her a small nod, as to telling her that it was alright. Lucy at once embraced the smaller child, checking her over, making sure she was alright. _"Did they hurt you?"_ She asked the younger girl, glaring up at Kate.

Maya shook her head slowly, putting her arms around Lucy's neck.

Jack took the opportunity to move closer and kneeled down next to Kate. _"Lucy, how did you get here?"_ Jack asked inquiringly, feeling a bit worried by the fact that Kate had placed the toddler on the ground.

He hoped that Lucy was smart enough to understand that they didn't stand a chance at outrunning the two grown ups. The older one could possibly hide from them but the toddler wouldn't get more than a few feet before either he or Kate would catch up with her.

"_We escaped…"_ Lucy answered carefully, looking almost afraid of the man's reaction

"_Escaped from what?"_ Kate asked curiously.

The girl didn't answer, she had buried her head in Maya's hair, rocking the younger girl back and forth.

Jack and Kate exchanged another look, both trying to get a grip around the situation. They felt small raindrops starting to fall from the sky and gave each other a knowing look.

"_We want you to come with us back to our camp."_ Jack said carefully, have a feeling the girl wouldn't be too keen on the idea.

Lucy's head snapped up immediately at the words, her eyes showing of fear. She was shaking her head frantically from one side to another. _"No, no, no"_ The girl almost chanted, letting go of the younger girl.

"_Don't take us back there_" Lucy pleaded, looking up at Jack.

"_Lucy you have never been to our camp. I don't know who you believe we are… but we're not"_ Jack tried to explained to the frightened girl.

The girl didn't look very convinced. She just glanced up at Jack, giving him a skeptic look.

Kate was watching Maya who looked rather confused, studying the older girl's behavior. When the toddler turned around, Kate smiled at her sweetly and reached forward to brush a curl of her hair behind her small ear. Maya took a step closer to Kate and held her small arms out to her, showing her that she wanted Kate to embrace her.

Kate could feel her lips form into a huge smile as she stood up and picked the toddler up. The innocent eyes watched her carefully as she turned to the older girl.

"_Are you coming Lucy?"_ Kate asked a bit daring as she started to walk away, Jack following closely behind. They exchanged a quick look, both hoping that the girl would follow them, unsure what they would do if she didn't.

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Please leave a little review so that I'll know if you still like it :) 


	4. Reaching the Sunshine

thank you all for the reviews :)

thx to my dear betasis, what would i do without you?

this is kinda a filler chapter.. hope its not too bad..

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Chapter Four – Reaching the Sunshine**

The rain had started pouring down heavily. Jack had taken the lead, Kate with Maya was just a few steps behind and Lucy walked on a secure distance from both of them.

Kate was having a bit of a struggle carrying the toddler, afraid of the consequences if she tripped and fell to the ground. She wasn't worried about herself, she'd get a bruise at the top and considering the fact that Jack would pamper her, would actually make it worth getting hurt.

But to stumble right now could have a deadly outcome. Kate had no idea how much a 2 year old body could withstand, but it probably wasn't much. Just holding the little girl made her feel like she needed to protect her. Wrapping her arms tighter around Maya, Kate took a couple of quick steps and caught up with Jack.

Walking side by side, Jack took every chance he had to glance over at the brunette. She looked very concentrated, but at the same time weary. He knew a toddler didn't weight very much, but he also knew it was enough to be a saddle on Kate.

He saw in the corner of his eye how Kate suddenly lost her balance, stumbling on the uneven ground. He instantly reached out and steadied her with his arms. _"You ok?"_ He asked concerned, noticing the terrified look on her face.

Taking a deep breath, Kate nodded. _"Maybe you should carry her"_ Kate said quietly, gazing down at the sleeping girl in her arms.

Jack gave her a reassuring smile. _"I don't think she could be any safer than she is right now."_

Kate's head snapped up at his comment, giving him a stern look. Didn't he just see that she had almost tripped? If it hadn't been for him, she probably would have, bringing Maya with her to the ground. The little girl was anything but safe with her.

Kate felt Jack place his hand on her left one, which was resting protectively on Maya's back. The soft touch of his hand made it hard for Kate to focus on what he was saying. But the second Jack started to lean forward, dangerously close to her face, she snapped out of it.

"_She's not going to get hurt."_ Jack whispered, squeezing her hand gently before turning around, pacing down the path again.

She hated how he put her up on a pedestal, making her into something she wasn't. Kate wished that he would just accept who she was, realizing that she wasn't the saint he so badly wanted her to be.

The walk back felt eternal. Jack wasn't sure if it was the rain or the children that was slowing them down. Either way he couldn't wait to get back to the dry hatch.

Jack glanced behind him, noticing that Lucy was straggling again. Considering if he was walking too fast, he stopped for a minute, giving Lucy a chance to catch up.

He watched Kate as she carefully shifted the toddler's weight. Maya had fallen asleep almost instantly after Kate had picked her up from the ground. Jack had noticed that both the children looked exhausted and he could feel the doctor in him starting to run preliminary diagnosis on their conditions.

He reached forward with one of his hands and let his fingers gently run over the sleeping child's cheek. _"At least someone's comfortable"_ Jack said softly, letting his eyes travel from the child up to Kate's face. He hadn't really noticed before, but the resemblance between Kate and Maya was remarkable.

Jack glanced down, realizing that Lucy had indeed caught up with them now and was standing just a few feet away, watching them closely.

Kate exchanging a quick look with Jack as they started walking again, once more with the doctor taking the lead. It didn't take long before the girl was getting behind again. Kate turned around a few times giving Lucy sympathetic looks as they kept walking through the rain.

Kate slowed down her own pace, making Jack turn his head around, as soon as he realized her close presence had disappeared. Giving Kate an understanding look, Jack started walking again, now much slower.

"_How did you get to this island, Lucy?" _Kate asked carefully, glancing behind her, at the now soaked girl.

"_Landed here"_ She answered quietly, trying to walk faster to catch up with the two adults.

"_You landed here? With a plane?"_ Jack asked inquiringly.

Lucy didn't answer, forcing Jack to try with a new question. _"How long ago?"_ His voice was a bit softer now, hoping that the girl would trust him enough to at least say something back.

When there was no answer, Kate glanced behind her again making sure that Lucy was still following them.

"_I don't know. Lots of days…"_ Lucy suddenly answered hesitantly, biting slightly on the inside of her cheek.

"_Is Maya your little sister?"_ Kate tried, already feeling pretty sure about the answer.

"_Yes"_ Lucy replied, almost suspiciously fast.

"_Are your parents here too?"_ Jack asked curiously.

Once more there was no answer, making Jack start thinking that she maybe didn't hear him over the rain.

Kate had started to turn around frequently, making sure Lucy was still there. Every time the girl looked more and more exhausted, walking slower and slower. Kate carefully shifted Maya in her arms, getting one of her hands free. Taking a few quick steps, she caught up with Jack and placed her hand gently on his shoulder, making him stop abrupt.

"_Are you tired Lucy?"_ Kate asked concerned as she turned to the 5 year old. Realizing what a stupid question it was, Kate almost let out a chuckle.

Lucy walked a few more steps before she stopped. She glanced up at Kate with tear-filled eyes before she shamefully looked down at the ground.

"_I can carry you for a while if you want to?"_ Jack offered softly.

Lucy looked unsure and glanced over at Kate, who was still holding Maya close. Shaking her head slowly, she turned her gaze back to the ground.

Jack turned to Kate, giving her a devastated look. He hated the fact that the young girl seemed almost scared of him. Kate returned his distressed look with an understanding expression on her face. Taking a few steps closer to Lucy, he kneeled down on the ground in front of her.

"_Lucy…"_ His voice was gently, hoping to get the girls attention.

Lucy tilted her head up, looking apprehensively at the man as he spoke. Jack noticed that the tears on her cheeks, mixing with the rain, which had been pouring down on them constantly for the last hour.

"_You don't have to be afraid"_ Jack said comfortingly, carefully placing a hand on each side of the girl.

Letting out a sob, Lucy once more let her eyes fall to the ground. _"I'm sorry" _her voice was just a whisper, full of shame.

"_Hey don't be sorry, you haven't done anything wrong"_ Jack told her gently, bringing her closer in to a hug, a bit surprised that she didn't pull back.

Lucy started crying the second the protective arms embraced her. Jack guessed it was probably out of exhaustion as he felt her body turn almost lifeless in his arms, forcing him support her body weight.

Jack carefully lifted her up and Lucy wrapped her legs around his waist and placed her arms securely around his neck.

Standing back up, he gave Kate a pleased smile before they continued to walk again.

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..dont be scared, just press that little purple button ;) 


	5. Mysteries of the Wind

Thank you all for the reviews :) and an extra thank you to Sonia for everything you do ;)

Here is a new chapter for my dear readers…

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**Chapter Five – Mysteries of the Wind**

Jack had a bit of a problem getting the hatch door open, without dropping the sleeping 5 year old. Finally getting inside, he kicked the door shut behind them with his foot. Realizing his mistake he glanced down at Lucy, feeling her stir slightly. Letting out the breath he was holding, when he comprehended that he hadn't woken her up. He looked up at Kate to make sure he hadn't woken up the other child, only to receive a disapproving look from the brunette.

Jack almost wobbled in to the main room of the hatch, surprised to find it empty. Trying to remember whose shift it was, Jack saw Sayid walking in from the other side of the room giving them a puzzled look.

"_We found them in the jungle"_ Jack explained vaguely, even though no question had been made. He walked over to the small bedroom and placed the sleeping Lucy on the bed, covering her with a blanket.

Kate sat down on the edge of the bed and gently tried to remove Maya's arms from around her neck.

Jack smiled at her_ "Looks like somebody likes you" _he said almost teasingly.

Kate gave him an unimpressed look, as she used a bit more force to remove the toddler's arms. Maya instantly started to whimper and brought her small arms back around Kate's neck. _"Maybe you should just let her be, she does look very peaceful in your arms" _The words had involuntarily come out with an almost flirty tone.

Before she had a chance to reply, Jack handed another blanket over to Kate, who wrapped it tightly around the little girl in her arms.

Heading back out to the main room, Jack noticed that Shannon had appeared out of no where and was now leaning against one of the walls.

"_I thought you said you were going to get some fruit, not children…"_ Shannon said mockingly, looking over at Kate who sat down on the couch with Maya.

Jack took a deep breath_. "We found them up west, past the hills, terrified of something. I think the others might have held them captured."_

Shannon's face immediately softened _"That's terrible"_

"_For how long?"_ Sayid asked as he walked over to Shannon, placing a hand protectively on her shoulder.

"_I have no idea. But I don't think they were on our plane, because there is no way the two of them could have survived on their own more than a day out there."_ Jack answered distressed.

Sayid gave Jack a small agreeing nod, which was followed by a hovering silence.

The blonde suddenly broke the tension that was building up. _"Well it looks like you're stuck here for a while, so is it okay if we head back down to the beach?"_

"_Yeah sure"_ Jack answered, sounding unfocused.

As the couple left, Jack glanced over at the computer to see that it was 10 minutes until the alarm would go off. He walked over to the bedroom and closed the door quietly. _"If we're lucky, the alarm won't wake her." _

He walked over to the couch and sat down next to Kate.

Maya was straddling her lap, resting her head on Kate's chest. Jack watched the toddlers face closely, as it moved in rhythm with Kate's breathing.

"_She looks just like your daughter"_ Jack said softly

Kate glanced up at him surprised and gave him a stunned look. _"What?"_

Unsure if she had heard him, Jack shifted nervously on the couch. _"She looks a lot like you"_ He divulged.

"_Oh"_ Kate tilted her head down and inspected the little girl. Looking up again, she gave him an amused smile. _"You mean she's got curly hair?"_

She knew it was more than the little girl's hair that resembled her own appearance. But she really didn't understand what Jack was getting at with his comments.

Jack let out a slightly embarrassed chuckle _"Yeah, I guess"_

They sat in silence for a while, both watching the girl as she slept peacefully curled up in Kate's lap.

"_What do you think happened to them?"_ Kate asked quietly, glancing over at Jack.

She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer to the question. Deep down, she thought that she might even already know or at least had an idea what had happened to the children. She hoped she was wrong, that the others didn't have anything to do with it.

Kate prayed that the kids had just landed peacefully on the island and was now all shaken up by the fact that they had been separated from their parents. And their parents would turn up safe and sound, in just a few moments, desperately looking for their lost daughters.

Shaking his head slowly, Jack gave her a sad smile. _"I don't know… I don't know"_

The alarm went off and Maya's eyes rapidly shot open. Kate wrapped her arms tighter around the girl and whispered soothing in her ear that everything was okay.

Jack hurried up and paced over to the computer. After typing in the numbers, he walked over to the bedroom and opened the door carefully to find Lucy still fast asleep on the bed. He smiled and closed the door quietly and walked back over to the couch.

Maya was still resting her head on Kate's chest but her eyes were now open, warily looking around in the hatch.

"_You hungry Maya?"_ Jack asked, with a sweet childlike voice

Maya nodded slightly, burying her face in Kate's neck.

Jack went over to the kitchen area and took one of the mangoes that were lying on the counter and sliced it up in small pieces. He also cut a few small pieces of boar and placed everything on a plate. Grabbing a glass of water, he walked over and gave the plate to Kate as he settled down next to them still holding the glass in his left hand.

Kate put the plate on the couch next to them and gave Maya a small piece of mango to eat. She chewed it slowly, making a quiet slurping noise as she ate. Smiling happily at Kate, she reached for another one.

"_I guess she was hungry"_ Kate said turning to Jack.

He smiled and handed over the glass of water. _"Try to get her to drink this, she's probably dehydrated."_

Kate carefully placed the glass to Maya's lips, making the toddler place her small hands around the glass trying to tilt it her way. Kate helped her take a few small sips, without getting herself soaked, and then handed the glass back to Jack.

Jack picked up a piece of boar and handed it over, for Maya to take. She did take it but as soon as she put it in her mouth she made a face, showing that she definitely didn't like it. Kate reached up and let Maya spit it out in her hand.

"_No boar."_ Kate said, scraping the remnants of the boar off her hand and on to the coffee table.

"_She should really eat some though, she'll need the proteins."_ Jack explained.

"_Jack, she's a vegetarian, it's terrible to force her to eat boar." _Kate said a matter of fact.

Unable to keep a straight face, Jack laughed _"She's a vegetarian?" _Jack asked, looking very amused.

"_Well, she could be"_ Kate said sternly, turning her attention back to the toddler.

"_Yeah, because that is the most logical explanation…" _Jack said, still sounding very amused by the conversation.

After Maya had eaten most of the mango, Kate lifted her off her lap and placed her on the ground.

The adults watched intrigued as the toddler walked around full of curiosity in the hatch. Maya's white clothes had now an almost grey color after having the mud washed off by all the rain.

"_Maybe we should wash their clothes"_ Kate suggested as Jack took the plate and walked over to the kitchen area.

Before Jack had a chance to reply a loud scream was heard from the bedroom.

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Please leave a little review… 


	6. Soothing Rain

thanks for all the great reviews :)

and thank you betasis -hugs-

heres a new chappy :)

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**Chapter Six – Soothing Rain **

The high-pitch scream of the young girl, echoed through the hatch.

"_You didn't lock her in, did you?" _Kate exclaimed heatedly, giving Jack a shocked look.

"_What? No, of course I didn't._" Jack answered defensively as he ran over to the bedroom door.

Jack could hear Lucy banging her small fists against the door in panic, followed by her crying _"Let me out!"_

"_You can't even lock this door." _Jack explained to Kate, opening the door in haste.

Lucy's bottom lip was trembling and the girl looked stunned by the fact that someone had indeed opened the door.

He squatted down to level with Lucy, noticing that her breathing was a bit uneven. _"Lucy, its okay, the door wasn't locked." _Jack said calmly, surprised that the girl hadn't even tried to open the door. She had just taken for granted that it had been locked, keeping her imprisoned.

Jack carefully took one of Lucy's hands in his, thankful that she hadn't pulled it back. Leading her over to the couch, he grabbed a bottle of water from the table on the way.

As they got closer to the couch, Kate patted the seat next to her, gesturing for Lucy to sit down.

"_Is this your camp?"_ Lucy asked carefully, looking around curiously in the hatch.

The adults exchanged a look. _"Yeah, I guess you could say that it's part of our camp." _Jack answered, for some reason sounding a bit unsure about what he was saying.

Maya had waddled over to the couch from across the room and was now standing on the floor, between the sitting Lucy and Kate. Jack sat down in front of them on the coffee table, handing the water bottle over to Lucy, only to receive a puzzled look from the girl.

"_You should drink a little"_ Jack said caringly, pointing slightly at the bottle.

Glancing down at the bottle, Lucy looked back up at Jack and gave him a suspicious look. She then turned her attention to her little sister who was on her way crawling up in Kate's lap.

Kate smiled sweetly at Lucy, hoping to ease up the tension. For the first time, Lucy gave her a just as distrustful look she had given Jack. _"What's your name?"_

Realizing they hadn't introduced themselves properly to the girls, Kate immediately answered, sounding apologizing. _"My name is Kate and this is Jack" _Kate said, gesturing with her hand at Jack. _"Jack here is a doctor"_ She explained further.

"_That's right. Since we're on the topic and all is it alright with you Lucy that I do a quick check over on the two of you, to make sure you're both healthy?"_ Jack continued, watching the older girl for her reaction.

Kate could tell that Lucy wasn't too keen on the idea. She didn't really shake her head, but she tilted it slightly to one side and than back to the other. Like she was studying Jack carefully, thinking the proposal over in her head.

"_It won't hurt, I promise"_ Jack assured, trying to convince her.

"_Ok"_ answered Lucy, in a bare whisper.

Jack carefully took hold of her wrists and checked her pulse.

"_Alright, your pulse is good."_ Jack said, still holding her small hands in his, looking at them closely.

"_Does it hurt anywhere?"_ Jack asked before continuing with his examination.

When the girl shook her head slightly, Jack gave her a small smile as response.

"_Can you follow my finger with your eyes?"_

Kate watched the girl as she shifted nervously on the couch, obviously not fond of the examination.

Moving a finger back and fourth in front of Lucy, Jack mumbling something muffled sounding like an 'okay'. Then Jack placed his hands gently on the girl's shoulders to steady her as he looked directly into Lucy's eyes.

Lucy winced at the touch of his hands, which didn't go unnoticed by the doctor. _"Lucy, is it alright if we take off your jacket?"_

Giving Jack a small nod as response, Lucy let Kate help her slide the jacket off her shoulders, leaving her dressed only in her white sleeveless dress.

Inspecting the girl's shoulders closely, Jack noticed fading bruises, not only on the shoulders but down her arms as well.

Jack glanced up at Kate who had a painful expression on her face.

"_How did you get these bruises Lucy?"_ Jack asked, trying to sound as natural as possible.

The girl shrugged, looking past the man.

Even though he hadn't expected a proper respond, he still felt disappointed that she didn't answer his question.

"_Are you hungry?"_ Kate asked, interrupting Jack's check over.

Giving the brunette a weak smile, Lucy nodded expectantly.

Kate lifted Maya off her lap and placed her on the couch. Taking Lucy's hand, Kate led the girl over to the kitchen area, leaving the toddler with Jack.

Before Kate had managed to fix up something for Lucy to eat, Jack came over, carrying Maya. Placing the small child on the counter in front of him, he gave Kate a content smile.

"_Considering our whereabouts, Maya here is in a pretty good physical condition, possibly just a bit dehydrated." _Jack said, whilst tickling the toddler, making her start giggling.

"_No bruises then?"_ Kate asked anxiously, glancing over at Lucy who had sat down at the table close by.

Jack shook his head. _"Nothing, except the small cuts on her feet, she probably got those form walking around in the jungle without any shoes."_

Kate walked over to the table and placed a bowl of Dharma tomato soup in front of Lucy.

Jack followed closely and sat down with Maya in his lap at the table. Kate smirked at him, holding up a spoon for him to take, as she put another bowl right in front of him. Jack just gave her a daring look back and grabbed the spoon.

"_Lucy can we ask you a few questions?"_ Kate asked, as she glanced over at Jack who had started to feed Maya, who apparently loved the meal.

Lucy just responded with a small nod, whilst continuing to happily eat her soup.

"_Where do you live?"_ Kate asked hesitantly.

"_Los Angeles"_ The girl answered without looking up.

The adults exchanged a look of satisfaction. This was progress, at least now they knew something significant about the girls.

"_Why were you on the plane?"_ Jack asked, giving Maya another spoon of the red soup.

When Lucy didn't answer, Jack tried again. _"Do you know why you landed here, or where on the island you landed?"_

The girl shook her head slowly, looking a bit depressed by the fact that she hadn't been able to answer the question.

Kate looked over at Jack as he let out a frustrated sigh. She was amazed at the fact that he had managed to feed Maya almost the entire bowl of soup without getting a single drop on her dress or his own clothes.

Maya clapped her small hands in delight as Jack gave her a final spoonful of the soup. Jack glanced up at Kate, giving her a smug look as he pushed the bowl towards the center of the table, away from Maya's reach.

_"We were in the water"_ Lucy suddenly divulged, making both Jack and Kate turn their attention back to her. _"When we landed…"_

"_You landed on the water, or in the water?"_ Jack asked inquiringly, only to be given a confused look from Lucy.

Kate cut in and tried to simplify the question. _"Were you in the water, so that you had to swim?"_

"_Yes. But I can't swim."_ Lucy looked ashamed, letting her eyes drop to the now empty bowl in front of her. _"Ana helped me."_

"_Ana helped you?"_ Kate asked curiously.

"_Ana-Lucia?"_ Jack asked, having a feeling he was on to something.

Lucy's head snapped up at the name, looking at Jack. _"Yes. Do you know her?"_ she asked back questioningly.

Jack smiled and nodded at her. _"Yeah, I know her. She's a close friend of mine." _Normally he would not call a woman he had just seen for a few minutes in a bar his friend, and definitely not a close friend. But since Lucy seemed to have a connection to Ana-Lucia, it wouldn't hurt with a little white-lie to tell her that he was on the same side as her.

Kate glanced over at Jack, he looked unusually delighted. She hated feeling like an outcast, not knowing what Jack and Lucy were talking about. How was it possible that Jack and Lucy both knew this woman? She didn't really care how Lucy knew her. She could be her aunt, cousin, family friend, whatever, it really didn't matter. But how did Jack know her…

"_Do you know where Ana is now?"_ Jack asked, knowing he was probably sounding a bit over-excited. But the fact that more people from the plane were alive was really great news. Maybe there were several of them, maybe even as many as them. Hopefully the girl could tell them where they were, so that they could bring them back to their camp.

Lucy slowly shook her head, making Jack look disappointed.

Noticing the saddened look on Jack's face, Kate forced away the feeling of jealousy that was building up in her body.

"_Who is Ana-Lucia?"_ Kate asked suspiciously, looking over at Jack with a blank expression on her face.

"_She was on our plane. Meaning Lucy and Maya probably was too."_ Jack answered unfocussed, keeping all of his attention on the young girl.

Kate felt her head start spinning. Had he traveled together with this Ana-Lucia person? Why would he otherwise know that she was on the plane… and what exactly was a 'close friend'?

Thinking about it, Kate realized that she knew very little about Jack. The only thing she really knew was that he was a doctor. What about everything else. Where did he live? Did he have his own house? Was he married? Did he have kids? Was his family on the plane with him?

Kate froze at the thought. It was possible that Jack had actually flown with his whole family. She could picture them in her head. Jack proudly holding a dark haired baby boy with one arm, the other one placed around his gorgeous blonde wife Ana-Lucia and an adorable little girl standing in front of them.

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i'd love a little review -angel smile- 


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